Oracle Security Blog

Until recently the Oracle E-Business Suite allowed self-designed certificates to assure the validity of Java code run within end-users’ browsers. This meant that the Java JAR files downloaded from the middle tier server were tested by the end-user’s browser for validity using a certificate created by you and/or you organization during installation. Use of a Trusted Certificate Authority (CA) issued certificate, while always an option for enhanced security, is now a requirement. Oracle has recently deemed self-signed certificates as no longer being secure.

Last week I had to build an Oracle 11gR2 database in the lab. Usually this process involves selecting one of several VirtualBox VM images for an appropriate Oracle Enterprise Linux (OEL) build and then several hours of effort. I selected a basic OEL6 image then instead decided to try out Oracle’s preinstall RPM package for Oracle database installations. I had heard about these packages that automate several of the more tedious pre-installation tasks such as modifying kernel parameters and installing and resolving required software packages.

There are two primary options for sharing authentication solutions with the Oracle E-Business Suite. The Oracle E-Business Suite and OBIEE both can take advantage of Oracle’s Single Sign-On (SSO) solutions. If SSO is used, both OBIEE and the E-Business Suite would be subscribing applications.

The other option is for OBIEE to use the Oracle E-Business Suite for authentication. This solution requires that users first log into the E-Business Suite and from there exercise (click-on) a menu function to bring them into OBIEE without having to type a user name or password.

The presentation catalog (Web Catalog) stores the content that users create within OBIEE. While the Catalog uses the presentation layer objects, do not confuse the presentation layer within the RPD with the presentation catalog. The presentation catalog includes objects such as folders, shortcuts, filters, KPIs and dashboards. These objects are built using the presentation layer within the RPD.

Enabling OBIEE Usage Tracking and Logging is a key part of most any security strategy. More information on these topics can be found in the whitepaper references below. It is very easy to setup logging such that a centralized logging solution such as SYSLOG or Splunk can receive OBIEE activity.

Integrigy has completed an in-depth security analysis of the "Heartbleed" vulnerability in OpenSSL (CVE-2014-0160) and the impact on Oracle E-Business Suite 11i (11.5) and R12 (12.0, 12.1, and 12.2) environments. The key issue is where in the environment is the SSL termination point both for internal and external communication between the client browser and application servers.

Integrigy had a great time at Collaborate 2014 last week in Las Vegas. What did not stay in Las Vegas were many great sessions and a lot of good information on Oracle E-Business Suite 12.2, Oracle Security, and OBIEE. Posted below are the links to the three papers that Integrigy presented.

If you have questions about our presentations, or any questions about OBIEE and E-Business Suite security, please contact us at info@integrigy.com

This blog series reviewing OBIEE security has to this point identified how users are defined and authenticated within WebLogic, the major security concerns with WebLogic and how application roles are defined and mapped to LDAP groups within Enterprise Manager. We will now review OBIEE authorization, how OBIEE determines what data users can see after they login.

The OBIEE Repository is comprised of three layers. A very simplistic summary is below:

The OBIEE repository database, known as a RPD file because of its file extension, defines the entire OBIEE application. It contains all the metadata, security rules, database connection information and SQL used by an OBIEE application. The RPD file is password protected and the whole file is encrypted. Only the Oracle BI Administration tool can create or open RPD files and BI Administration tool runs only on Windows. To deploy an OBIEE application, the RPD file must be uploaded to Oracle Enterprise Manager.

Where and how are OBIEE users authenticated? A few options exists. A later blog post will review how to use the Oracle E-Business Suite to authenticate user connections and pass the E-Business Suite session cookie to OBIEE. Many if not most OBIEE users will though authenticate through WebLogic. For these users, they are defined and authenticated within WebLogic using it’s built in LDAP database or an external LDAP implementation. Once authenticated, the user’s LDAP group memberships are mapped to Applications roles that are shared by all Fusion Applications, OBIEE included.

Continuing our blog series on OBIEE security, when discussing WebLogic security, the WebLogic Scripting Tool (WLST) needs to understood. From a security risk perspective, consider WLST analogous to how DBAs use SQL to manage an Oracle database. Who is using WLST and how they are using it needs to be carefully reviewed as part of any WebLogic security assessment.

As the first post in Integrigy’s blog series on OBIEE security, it makes sense to first look at WebLogic. As a Fusion Middleware 11g product, OBIEE 11g uses Oracle WebLogic for centralized common services, including a common security model. WebLogic itself is a scalable, enterprise-ready Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) application server.

Oracle’s Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE) 11g is a powerful tool for accessing data, however this power means OBIEE security is imperative in order to protect the data. Throughout March and April 2014 Integrigy will be focusing our blog posts on the security of all layers of the OBIEE technology stack: the OBIEE application, the WebLogic application server, and the repository database. In addition, the topic of the monthly webinar for March will be OBIEE security.